Ventilation

A certain amount of ventilation in the home is necessary to maintain good air quality, prevent condensation and mould growth and supply combustion air to gas fires and solid fuel stoves. However, up to 20% of your heat loss could be down to uncontrolled ventilation so it is important to try and get the balance right.

Controlled ventilation

Controlled ventilation allows you to maintain good air quality without letting all your heat escape.

The main types of ventilation are:

• Trickle vents, which provide a steady flow of fresh air. These are cheap to install (usually in a window frame) and require no maintenance. They cost between £25-£30 from all good DIY stores
  
• Extractor fans are used to remove stale air and excess moisture. These are also cheap to buy and easy to maintain. The ideal place for an extractor fan is the kitchen or bathroom, to remove the excess moisture in these areas. Modern cooker hoods often have these fans installed, which remove moisture caused by cooking
  
• Heat recovery room ventilators are similar to extractor fans, but also recover heat from the extracted, warm air and use it to warm up incoming air
  
• Passive stack ventilation provides continuous and rapid background ventilation. Stale air is extracted through ducts that run from ceiling grilles to roof terminals. Fresh air enters the home through trickle vents so air is always moving, without the need for a fan. This product is only worth installing when you are planning some serious decoration within the home due to the work required to install the ducts.
  
• Mechanical ventilation throughout the house uses a low power fan, which draws air into the house through the roof space. This supplies the top floor with warm air and stale air is removed through trickle vents.